West Midlands secures £500m business from London 2012 Olympics

The region’s spin-offs from the London Games were revealed as the countdown to next year’s event passed the 500 day mark.

Birmingham’s sport scrutiny committee heard that the contracts have been evenly spread throughout the city and region.

The contracts include design and building work on areas of the Olympic Village, legal services, consultancy, architectural services, lighting, signage, safety clothing and equipment, building materials supply, catering, AV equipment and website design.

There remains further opportunities to bid for both Games contracts and legacy contracts.

The committee is reviewing the city’s exploitation of Olympic opportunities as the July 2012 Games approaches.

Council sports official Mike Osborne said: “The West Midlands has been the most successful region in attracting Olympic contracts after London and the South-east.

“Contracts have been awarded to firms in nine out of 10 Birmingham constituencies, only Hodge Hill so far has not received any, so we are looking at that.”

He said that efforts were continuing to secure even more Olympic business for the region. But added that firms are told not to publicise their success as major multi-national firms, such as McDonald’s pays substantial sums to have its brand linked to the Games.

It has also emerged that 10,000 people from the region have volunteered to work at the games in the capital next summer, with a range of duties including tourist information officers, event marshalls, medical support and IT technicians.